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Tomato Crop Insects
Tomato Fruitworm
The tomato fruitworm is the most damaging tomato insect pest in South Carolina. Fruitworms occur throughout the Western Hemisphere extending as far north as Canada and as far South as Argentina.
The tomato fruitworm feeds on tomato, corn, and cotton, and is also called the corn earworm or the cotton bollworm. It also attacks soybeans, peppers, tobacco, beans, okra, and eggplant.
The tomato fruitworm moth is usually light yellowish-olive with a single dark spot near the center of each forewing. Eggs are laid singly, usually on the lower sides of terminal leaflets close to the flower or fruits. They are creamy white when laid, but develop a reddish-brown band just prior to hatching. Newly emerged larvae are yellowish-white with a brown head. Color of older larvae varies from greenish-yellow to brown or even black with paler stripes running lengthwise on the body. Larvae grow to a size of about 11/2 inches in length. Pupae, about 3/4 inch in length, are shiny and reddish brown at first, then become dark brown prior to adult emergence.
Fruitworms feed on tomato leaves and fruit. Distorted leaves often result from feeding upon the tips of the leaves in the developing bud. Larvae may also bore into stalks or midribs. When fruit is present, larvae enter it soon after hatching. They prefer green fruit and will enter it usually at the stem end, causing extensive direct damage and promoting decay. The larvae are cannibalistic, so there is rarely more than one larva per fruit. Larvae usually complete development in a single fruit, but when fruits are small they may feed in several.
Fruitworms overwinter as pupae in the top 2 inches of soil. Adults emerge from early May to early June. Tomato fruitworm larvae have five to six instars with the development period averaging 28 days. Fruitworms have 4-5 generations per year in South Carolina.
Cutworms are cosmopolitan in their distribution and are common in the U.S. and Canada. The black cutworm is more abundant in the northern portions of its range while the granulate cutworm is more abundant southward. In South Carolina, cutworms are generally more of a problem in the Coastal Plain.
Cutworms attack many field crops, grasses, and vegetable crops such as tomato, asparagus, bean, crucifers, cucurbits, corn, cowpea, lettuce, onion, pea, pepper, potato, spinach, and sweet potato.
Cutworm eggs are white and usually laid singly or in small clusters. Black cutworm larvae are dark greasy gray to black with a light colored line down the center of the back. They are 1 3/4 inches long when mature and the skin is covered with smooth black granules. Granulate cutworm larvae are dusty brown with a more roughly granulate skin and up to 1 1/2 inches in length. Cutworm pupae are about 3/4 inch in length and dark brown or mahogany in color.
Cutworms may injure vegetable seedlings and newly set plants in the field. Larvae hide under clods and in cracks in the soil by day and appear at night, cutting off young plants near the ground. One larva often severs numerous plants in a row during a single night. Small populations can cause considerable injury resulting in the need to replant. Some cutworms climb plants and feed on the leaves.
Cutworms pass the winter as larvae or pupae. In early spring, larvae which have overwintered resume activity and feed until they are mature. Pupation then takes place in the soil. After emergence, females begin depositing eggs at night in clusters on the undersides of leaves. Each female lays hundreds of eggs. Upon hatching, larvae feed for 3 to 4 weeks. Most cutworms complete 3 or 4 generations per year in South Carolina.
The tobacco hornworm ranges from southern Canada to Argentina. The range of the tomato hornworm, however, extends only from southern Canada through the southern U.S. Hornworms feed primarily on solanaceous plants. Their hosts include tobacco, tomato, eggplant, pepper, and some weedy plants. Tobacco and tomato plants are preferred.
Hornworm eggs are smooth, spherical, and about 1/16 inch in diameter. Light green at first, they turn white before hatching. Mature tobacco hornworm larvae usually have green bodies with fine white hairs and seven diagonal white stripes on each side; the posterior horn is usually curved and red. Tomato hornworm larvae have 8 V-shaped markings on each side; the horn is straight and black. Both species are about 4-4 1/2 inches long when fully grown. Pupae are brown, hard, spindle-shaped, and about 3 inches long.
Hornworms strip leaves from tomato vines. If a heavy infestation develops, caterpillars also feed on developing fruit. Rather than bore into fruit, they feed superficially leaving large open scars. Fruit damage, however, is much less common than defoliation. Hornworm damage usually begins to occur in midsummer and continues throughout the remainder of the growing season.
Hornworms overwinter in the soil as pupae. Moths of this overwintering generation begin to emerge in early June and may continue to emerge as late as August. Nocturnal in habit, hornworm moths frequently can be seen hovering over plants at dusk. At night, eggs are deposited on the underside of leaves. Each moth deposits 1 to 5 eggs per plant visit.
Hornworms emerge from the eggs about 4 days later, depending upon temperature. After feeding for 3 weeks, hornworms burrow into the soil and spend 4 days as prepupae. In summer, the pupal period lasts 3 weeks after which a new generation of moths emerges. Heavy egg deposition is common in August and early September. At least two generations occur each year in South Carolina.
Tomato Pinworm
This pest lives year round in the warm agricultural areas of Mexico, California, Texas, and Florida. In South Carolina the pinworm cannot overwinter outdoors. Infestations occur only in the fall crop of tomatoes.
The tomato pinworm feeds only on solanaceous plants. Common hosts include crops such as tomato, potato, and eggplant.
The small gray moth lays tiny yellowish-orange oval eggs about 0.4 mm long. The newly hatched larva is yellowish gray and about 0.8 mm long. The mature larva may be yellow, green, or ash gray and is covered with dark purple spots. Larvae pupate in the soil enclosed in a pupal cell made of loosely woven silk and covered with soil particles.
Blotch-like leaf mines, folded and tied leaves, pinholes in stems and fruit, and fruit blotches can all be caused by pinworms. First and second instar larvae mine leaves in a manner similar to that of serpentine and vegetable leafminers. These mines, however, are widened gradually into one large blotch.
Upon emerging from leaf mines, third instar larvae fold and web leaves to protect themselves and feed from inside these shelters. Some of the larvae bore into stems, buds, and fruit leaving small "pinholes" on the surface. The fruit usually is entered near calyx lobes or the stem. Damage to leaves and vines is of little importance, but injury to the fruit can cause a substantial loss.
In summer, a generation can be completed every 26 to 34 days. In cooler weather, the life cycle is longer. Seven to 8 overlapping generations occur each year in Florida. In South Carolina, several generations may occur in field tomatoes during late summer and fall.
Silverleaf Whitefly
Silverleaf whitefly occurs around the world in tropical and subtropical areas and in greenhouses in temperate areas. It has been reported from all southeastern states. Additionally, it has been reported from Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Maryland, and Texas.
The number of host plants is extensive. The most frequently reported hosts in the southeastern U.S. are poinsettia, gerbera daisy, tomato, squash, cucumbers, melons, and cotton.
The silverleaf whitefly is small (< 1 mm) and whitish yellow. The head is broad at the antennae and narrow toward the mouth parts. The wings are held roof-like at about a 45 degree angle, whereas other whiteflies usually hold the wings nearly flat over the body. Hence the silverleaf whitefly appears more slender than other common whiteflies. The eggs are inserted on end in the undersides of new leaves. The eggs are whitish to light beige. The nymphal stage appears glassy to opaque yellow. The body is flattened and scale like with the margin relatively near the leaf surface. The pupa or fourth nymphal instar will be somewhat darker beige yellow and opaque. Direct damage is caused by the removal of sap, and indirect damage as a disease vector. The silverleaf whitefly is a vector for several important virus diseases of tomatoes, lettuce, and melons in the southeastern U.S. Both the adult and nymphal stages contribute to direct damage. Chlorotic spots sometimes appear at the feeding sites on leaves, with heavy infestations causing leaf wilting. The excretion of honeydew and the subsequent development of sooty mold fungi also may reduce photosynthesis and other physiological functions of the plant.
The number of eggs laid by each female over her lifetime varies considerably, but appears to be around 80 to 100. "Crawlers" hatch from the eggs and crawl about until they insert thread like mouthparts into the underside of the leaf to feed. They tuck their legs and antennae underneath and settle down closely to the leaf surface.
Crawlers molt into scale-like nymphs that also suck out sap. Nymphs molt a second and third time. The fourth stage eventually becomes a nonfeeding pupa. The adult whitefly develops within the pupa. Adults emerge from the pupa through a T-shaped slit about a month from the time the egg was laid. Females live about 2 weeks.
Vegetable Leafminer
The vegetable leafminer is found from the tropics into the southeastern and southwestern U.S. It occurs at least as far north as Tennessee and Ohio.
The vegetable leafminer infests a wide variety of plants, including squash, okra, pea, tomato, bean, cabbage, turnip, potato, tobacco, cotton, radish, spinach, watermelon, beet, pepper, alfalfa, clover, vetch, and plantain.
The adult is a shiny black fly with variable yellow markings and is 1.0 to 1.8 mm long. The white oval egg, about 0.2 mm long, sometimes is visible through the upper epidermis of the leaf. The fully grown maggot, about 3.0 mm long, has a bright yellow, translucent body, and black mouthparts. Each maggot has a slightly pointed head and a more rounded abdomen. The flattened, segmented pupa is bright yellow at first but gradually turns brown. It is oblong-oval in shape and slightly less than 2 mm long.
Vegetable leafminers create lightly colored, irregularly winding mines in leaves. The mines are generally S-shaped and may be enlarged at one end. Infested leaves are favorable habitats for invading bacterial and fungal plant pathogens. Also, since heavily mined leaves may have nearly 100% of their mesophyll removed, photosynthetic efficiency is greatly reduced.
Severe infestations may cause the foliage to turn brown and appear burned. Damaging infestations are most likely to occur after crops have been treated weekly with broad spectrum insecticides. These pesticides kill the parasitic wasps which normally keep leafminer populations at acceptable levels.
Vegetable leafminers feed and breed year round in the southern areas of Florida and Texas. In South Carolina they overwinter in soil as pupae. Generally, adult flies which emerge in April or May live only 4 to 10 days. After mating, females insert eggs into leaf tissue from the underside of the leaf. Three to 8 days later, eggs hatch and young larvae begin feeding, each one creating its own mine. The leafmining stage may last up to 12 days, but is usually completed in 4 or 5 days during summer. Larvae pupate for about 10 days (longer in spring and fall) at the enlarged ends of the mines or in the soil. A new generation is produced approximately every 23 days. At least 5 generations occur each year in southern states.
Western Flower Thrips
The distribution of Western flower thrips was thought to be limited to west of the Mississippi River before 1980. However, this thrips has become a prevalent species throughout the southeast.
This thrips feeds on almost any flowering plant, with peppers and tomatoes the major vegetable host plants.
Western flower thrips are about 1 mm long. The female varies from yellow to dark brown, and has a rounded abdomen. The male is always pale yellow and has a narrow abdomen. Yellowish eggs cannot be seen because they are laid into the plant tissue. Larvae develop through two stages and are distinctly yellow. The pupa is a yellowish, quiescent nonfeeding stage.
The western flower thrips feeds on flowers and foliage by inserting its modified left mandible into the tissue, and sucking the fluids from cells. Egg laying and feeding scars reduce the aesthetic quality and marketability of some plants. When thrips feed on developing tissues, affected cells are unable to expand, and mature leaves and petals are distorted. When thrips feed on expanded tissue, affected cells become filled with air, which imparts a silvery appearance. This thrips also is an important vector of tomato spotted wilt virus.
Females lay eggs in tender plant tissue. The eggs hatch in 2 to 14 days, depending on temperature. Larvae feed on plant tissue, usually in flowers. Late in the second instar they stop feeding and move down the plant to pupate. Thrips develop through two quiescent, nonfeeding pupal stages in the soil, plant litter, or in a protected area on the plant. Adults emerge and resume feeding on flowers, buds, and terminal foliage. The entire life cycle from egg to adult emergence can take 12 days in hot weather to 44 days in cool weather.
Potato AphidPotato aphids occur throughout North America. They are common visitors to home vegetable gardens in South Carolina.
This soft-bodied, pear-shaped insect may be solid pink, green and pink mottled, or light green with a dark stripe. Usually wingless, it is about 2.5 to 3.5 mm long and has a pair of long, slender tailpipe-like appendages known as cornicles. The egg stage does not occur in South Carolina. Adult females give birth to live young. Although slightly smaller than the adult, the nymph is similar in color and shape.
Potato aphids infest a wide range of host plants. Some important cultivated hosts include potato, tomato, eggplant, sunflower, pepper, pea, bean, apple, turnip, corn, sweet potato, asparagus, clover, and rose. Weeds such as ragweed, lambs quarters, jimsonweed, pigweed, shepherds purse, and wild lettuce are also common food plants.
Sporadic in occurrence, potato aphid infestations are rarely severe enough to kill plants. Aphids pierce veins, stems, growing tips, and blossoms with their needle-like mouthparts. As a result, blossoms are shed and yield is reduced. New growth becomes stunted and curled. Heavily infested plants turn brown and die from the top down. Aphids tend to spread rapidly from field to field transmitting a number of viral diseases. These include various mosaics, leaf roll, spindle tuber, and unmottled curly dwarf.
In South Carolina, female potato aphids feed and reproduce year round. No eggs or males are produced. Without mating, wingless females give birth to about 50 live nymphs. During warm weather, each of these nymphs matures in 2 or 3 weeks. The life cycle continues in this manner until overcrowding occurs or food becomes scarce. At these times nymphs develop into winged adults and migrate to new host plants. Once settled these aphids begin reproducing and the life cycle continues as before. During winter, however, feeding and reproduction occur at a much slower rate. Many generations are produced each year.
Stink Bugs and Leaffooted Bugs
Several species of stink bugs as well as leaffooted bugs are serious pests of tomatoes and various other vegetable crops in South Carolina. Brown and green stink bugs have been reported as far north as Quebec; however, in the United States, they are more often injurious in the South. Although more common in the South, leaffooted bugs occur as far west as Arizona.
All adult stink bugs are shield shaped. About 14 to 19 mm long, green stink bugs are bright green with a narrow orange-yellow line bordering the major body regions. Brown stink bugs are dull grayish yellow in color and 12 to 15 mm long.
Leaffooted bugs are about 20 mm long, have dark brown bodies, a narrow cream colored stripe across the back, and flattened, leaf-like hind legs.
When first laid, the barrel-shaped eggs of the green stink bug are yellow to green, later turning pink to gray. The white kettle-shaped eggs of the brown stink bug are slightly smaller than those of the green stink bug. Leaffooted bug eggs are slightly keg shaped.
Nymphs of all three bugs are smaller than, yet similar in shape to the adults. Green stink bug nymphs are predominantly black when small, but as they mature, they become green with orange and black markings. Nymphs of the brown species are light green. Leaffooted bug nymphs are bright red.
Stink bugs feed on over 52 plants, including native and ornamental trees, shrubs, vines, weeds, and many cultivated crops. The preferred hosts are nearly all wild plants. Stink bugs build up on these hosts and move to cultivated hosts as their preferred food becomes unpalatable. Among vegetable crops, stink bugs attack bean and cowpea seeds, okra pods, ripening tomato fruit, and stems of melons and asparagus. Bean, cowpea, sorghum, eggplant, potato, tomato, peach, strawberry, okra, and watermelon are only a few of the leaffooted bug's many host plants. Nymphs and adults of both kinds of bugs pierce plants with their needle-like mouthparts and suck sap from pods, buds, blossoms, and seeds. The degree of damage depends, to some extent, on the developmental stage of the plant when it is pierced by the stink bug. Immature fruits and pods punctured by bugs become deformed as they develop. Seeds are often flattened and shriveled, and germination is reduced.
Stink bugs overwinter as adults in ditch banks, along fence rows, on roadsides, and in other similar places. They become active in spring when temperatures rise above 70°F. Each female deposits up to several hundred eggs, usually in mid- or late June. These eggs are laid in clusters, primarily on leaves and stems, but also on pods. Nymphs hatch from these eggs and pass through five instars before becoming adults. Approximately 5 weeks elapse between hatching and adult emergence. Two generations per year occur in South Carolina. Stink bugs usually reach high population levels in July through early October.
The biology of leaffooted bugs is not well documented. They overwinter as adults and have been collected all months of the year. However, they are most common from May onward into the fall months.
Control of Insect Pests of Home Grown Tomatoes
Cultural practices are helpful in avoiding many insect infestations. Tomatoes should be planted in well-prepared, fertile seedbeds, mulched, and properly watered to promote vigorous growth. Stressed plants tend to attract more insect pests than healthy plants. Beneficial insects are very helpful in controlling insects such as aphids, leafminers, and hornworms. Use insecticides only when necessary to preserve these beneficials.
Insecticides are effective in controlling stink bugs, leaffooted bugs, aphids, and fruitworms, control cutworms, fruitworms and hornworms, although not every insecticide will be effective on all of these insect pests. Insecticidal soap, such as M-PEDE, is a less toxic option for control of aphids and to some extent, whiteflies. Check with your local County Extension Agent for specific insecticide recommendations.
Sorensen, K.A. and J.R. Baker. 1983. Insects and related pests of vegetables. The North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service. Publication AG-295, 173 pp.
Prepared by Randall P. Griffin, Extension Entomologist/ Professor, and Mohamed F. R. Khan, Graduate Assistant, Department of Entomology, Soils, and Plant Sciences, Clemson University.
This information is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service is implied. Brand names of pesticides are given as a convenience and are neither an endorsement nor guarantee of the product nor a suggestion that similar products are not effective. Use pesticides only according to the directions on the label. Follow all directions, precautions and restrictions that are listed.
The Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer. Clemson University Cooperating with U.S. Department of Agriculture and South Carolina Counties. Issued in Furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914.


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ALBANY, N.Y., Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Still angry after Congress delayed voting for assistance to the victims of Hurricane Sandy, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is preparing for the next big storm.
Cuomo said Thursday after two years of devastating storms and power outages, he is taking steps to improve the state's future emergency preparedness, WNYT-TV in Albany reported.
The governor examined the recommendations of two committees -- New York State Respond and the New York State Ready -- that he set up to prepare for the next time disaster strikes.
"People are in desperate need for help and assistance," Cuomo said. "It's a matter of life and death, literally, and the only organization, the only people who can help, are government people."
Among the recommendations are: create a state stockpile of water, food and gasoline, plus the establishment of a civilian emergency response corps that includes an army of electricians.
There would be generators at gas stations, a text message alert system to deliver vital information to recipients, and a plan to better protect vulnerable populations, nursing home residents and those in hospitals.
"There's a feasibility that goes along with all of these initiatives, you have to weigh it against the probability and against the cost," Cuomo said. "You can be prepared for a lot of things, the question is: How much do you want to pay and what is the probability that those things are going to occur?"
Cuomo said he would incorporate some of the recommendations into his State of the State message next week.
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said his chamber would vote part of hurricane relief Friday and most of the funding in Jan. 15.

subset: commoncrawl


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Digg.com's inclusion of a politics section has given many political sites a springboard to attract a larger audience. For some of these groups the temptation to promote their political advocacy has proven too strong to stop them from violating Digg's terms of service. The websites listed in this article appear to have crossed the line to varying degrees.
Article 3 Section 9 in Digg's Terms of Service:
By way of example, and not as a limitation, you agree not to use the Services:
9. with the intention of artificially inflating or altering the 'digg count', blog count, comments, or any other Digg service, including by way of creating separate user accounts for the purpose of artificially altering Digg's services; giving or receiving money or other remuneration in exchange for votes; or participating in any other organized effort that in any way artificially alters the results of Digg's services.
- www.freecentury.com
- Mises Institute
I previously explained about Digg.com and how their recent addition of non-technology topics (e.g. Politics, Business & Finance) has opened an opportunity for pro-market/pro-liberty articles to get an airing at this very popular news site.
Stories are "promoted" to the Digg.com front page by "digging" (voting) for a story. To coordinate efforts to promote free market and libertarian articles I have started a list of libertarian diggers. As I write this I already have 45 people on it. We have once again this morning been successful in promoting an article. In this case, today's Mises.org Daily Article on inflation and the Fed. Head over to Digg and join the heated discussion about the article, (you will need to set up a free account).
If you want to join our merry band of libertarian diggers, here are the details…
E-mail me and send me your Digg Username (you login to Digg with this). I will add you to my list of Friends which is serving as our list of libertarian diggers.
- The Ron Paul Report
4/16/07 Ron Paul Daily Digg
Read and Digg these articles
- http://www.freetalklive.com/
Digg FTL
Digg.com is one of the most popular websites on the Internet. With your help, we can advance in their podcast rankings. Please click the button on the left to digg Free Talk Live. If you don't have one, you will need to create a free account. Remember, you need to come back every two weeks and digg something else on the site like one of our episodes to continue locking in your digg for the podcast.
digg.freetalklive.com -Direct link to the Free Talk Live page on digg.com news.freetalklive.com – Join the Free Market Diggers and help digg pro-Liberty articles on digg.com!
- Ron Paul Grass Roots Action
This email message is a notification to let you know that
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- No Governor Anywhere: FreeMarket, Libertarian Minded Blogging
Ten ways to help Ron Paul online.
We have to face it, the internet is currently the only place we can get the word out about Ron Paul.
5. Digg.com: Go register at digg.com and do a search for Ron Paul. We have a double task here. First, read through the articles before you digg them. If you notice something posted twice, only digg the one that has the most so far, and bury the other. This way, people on digg won't become burnt out by The Ron paul campaign. We can't be called spammers if we only post one article about a certain topic, and if everyone is digging the same articles, the likelihood that story being on the front page, with the most exposure, increases.
- Armitage 2.0
"Digg Ron Paul sites, stories, videos, and other links."
- World Affairs Board
For those who want to help make sure Dr. Paul's message gets out…
Here's the most effective and easy way I know:
– Visit Digg / News
– Keyword search "Ron Paul"
– Then "digg" every story that has the word Ron Paul in the headline.
That's it!
This gets him additional attention; I've seen it work very well before. It's already working for Dr. Paul.
Usually there are around 25 Ron Paul stories on Digg every day. I Digg them about three times a day. What are your thoughts about this approach and about Ron Paul?
- Ron Paul Press Hub
Sunday, May 13th, 2007
Please digg the following article. If you don't know what Digg is, read here
- disinter "digging up the truth"
For a brief comparison of Hagel vs Paul votes, go here. Digg the comparison here.
note: this is one of many articles intended to encourage diggers to promote Ron Paul
In an effort to make sure that Ron Paul has a permanent place in Digg's recent front page articles for a long time to come, we are launching the 100,000 Diggs for Ron Paul campaign.
The purpose is easily explained. We Ron Paul supporters want to get his message out to people who are not too familiar with him, and what he stands for. With the mainstream media ignoring the coming tsunami of Ron Paul support, many people might not hear about Dr. Paul until it is too late.
Digg this article and have everyone you know Digg it too.
I found a few more:
10 Ways to help Ron Paul Every Day Without Leaving Your Computer
Posted April 2nd, 2007 by manystrom
* Ron Paul
1. Go to digg.com and 'digg'all of the stories about Ron Paul (also 'digg' stories about him on other sites such as www.RonPaul2008.com and LewRockwell.com etc by simply clicking the 'digg' button that is on most stories now). Making positive comment on those stories is a big help too. Also see reddit.com
Explains to readers how to resubmit a Ron Paul article by adding a # anchor to the end of the url.
Other sites of interest:


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Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Andrew Stephen Irby, 26, of Hickory died Friday Dec. 7, 2012 at Frye Regional Medical Center. The family will receive friends from 2-3 p.m. Friday Dec. 14, at Jenkins Funeral Home.
Nancy Lineberger Wilkinson, 88, of Newton died Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012 at Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory. A private graveside service was held Monday, Dec. 10, 2012 at Maiden City Cemetery by the former Pastor Ray Rummage.


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|January 12, 2013, 10:57 PM
Join Date: August 22, 2012
Location: Roswell
Posts: 38
TriStar T-120 9mm
Hi Fellow Shooters, Today I got a new TriStar T-120 9mm. Traded a Rossi Rio Grande 30/30 which was almost new for it. I'd never heard of the brand but saw very good reviews online like this: "I read about the Tri-star (Canik55) in Cambat Handguns magazine and after the favorable review and the very reasonable price, I thought I'd give it a try. It seemed to be a good way to try the CZ-75 platform without spending the extra $150-$200 for an actual CZ. I've had the gun for a while now and if anything , the magazine article undersold it. It's just wonderful. It's my new favorite handgun and I like it much better than my Springfield XD-9." So what do you guys (and gals) think??? Anyone ever shot one, did I make a good trade, what about reliability, or any comments? Thanks, Bernie
|January 13, 2013, 11:29 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: November 1, 2008
Location: Rosenberg, TX
Posts: 432
It is on my list. I have not heard any bad reviews either. I just moved to Texas so I need to sort out the gun purchase laws. We have not closed on our house yet so I am not officially a resident.
|January 13, 2013, 01:03 PM
Join Date: August 22, 2012
Location: Roswell
Posts: 38
Just shot it this morning. "Sweet"!!!
Mine is the 4.7" blued model.
|January 26, 2013, 03:09 AM
Senior Member
Join Date: October 3, 2007
Location: Chelan
Posts: 158
I would like to re-up this I am looking at buying one.
Any more hands on reviews?
Having a hard time figuring out if the lower frame is metal or if its just the slide that is metal.
Last edited by Keepin_Jeepin; January 26, 2013 at 03:23 AM.
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Best Outdoor Clothing Store: Top Outdoor Equipment Companies at Discount Prices I would have never guessed it but Second Ascent Consignment proves that clothing resale shops can be done well for any niche. Second Ascent Consignment shop is located in the Lyon Park area of Arlington, Virginia just outside of Washington, DC. This budget …Read More »
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Wandering wolf OR-7 may have a pal in Cascades
By JEFF BARNARD
Of the Associated Press
GRANTS PASS — Oregon's wolf population continues to grow and has spun off another pathfinder that made it to the Cascades.
A draft of the state's 2013 wolf report says tracks were confirmed in December after a sighting on the eastern flanks of Mount Hood, about 200 miles west of the wolf packs in northeastern Oregon.
Three hundred miles south in the southern Cascades, the famous wandering wolf OR-7 has been shuttling between Oregon and California looking for a mate since fall 2011.
It was not known if the Mount Hood wolf was a female and potential mate for OR-7, or another dispersing male, said the department's wolf coordinator, Russ Morgan. But the area has plenty of deer and elk for prey.
Rob Klavins, a wildlife advocate for the conservation group Oregon Wild, said he hoped the two wolves would turn into a breeding pair, which would be the first in the Cascade Range since wolves came to Oregon from Idaho in the 1990s.
"That's a big step for wolf recovery, if that is true," he said.
Until wolves started swimming the Snake River from Idaho and colonizing Oregon in the 1990s, the last known wolf in Oregon was shot in 1946 by a bounty hunter in the Rogue-Umpqua Divide area of the Cascades. OR-7 roamed through the wilderness area in 2011 and has traveled south of Mount Lassen in California, where he was spotted with some coyotes.
Overall, the number of confirmed wolves statewide has grown from 48 in 2012 to 64 last year. The number of packs grew from six to eight. While the number of packs successfully producing pups dropped from six in 2012 to four in 2013, it marked the second year in a row that the state recovery goal of four breeding pairs was met. One more year like that and the department can consider removing wolves form the Oregon endangered species list.
Rod Childers, a Wallowa County rancher and negotiator for the Oregon Cattlemen's Association on wolf issues, said he had not carefully reviewed the report, but the growing number of wolves is no surprise, given the restrictions on killing wolves that attack livestock.
"All I can say for the cattlemen is I told you so," he said.
One of Oregon's original breeding females, OR-2, has dropped off the radar, the report said. Her tracking collar stopped sending signals last summer, and she has not been seen since with the Imnaha pack — Oregon's first.
Morgan emphasized it was not known if she was alive or dead. The seven pups she produced in the spring also were not seen at the end of the year, though OR-2 and some pups could have left the pack. Two new wolves were spotted to the south.
A small light gray female, OR-2 was captured and fitted with a tracking collar in 2009 and has been producing pups every spring with the alpha male of the Imnaha pack, OR-4. Since the disappearance of OR-2, OR-4 has aligned himself with another female, which has an injured hind leg.
"Because of the time (wolves) have been around, now we are starting to see some of these dynamics kick in," Morgan said. "Mates do get replaced in the wolf world."
Three packs — Imnaha, Umatilla River and Snake River — were blamed for 13 livestock attacks last year, but none of the packs has qualified for consideration of lethal control. Five cows, six sheep and one goat were killed. That compares with four cows and eight sheep killed in 2012 by the Imnaha and Umatilla River packs. Under terms of a settlement of a lawsuit brought by Oregon Wild, and subsequent legislation, a pack must be blamed for four confirmed attacks on livestock where the owner had taken steps to protect them with nonlethal controls, such as cleaning up old carcasses or putting out alarms triggered by a wolf tracking collar.
The state gave ranchers $7,396 for confirmed wolf kills in Wallowa, Baker and Umatilla counties and $8,667 for missing livestock in wolf country. And $43,932 was distributed to pay for preventative measures, such as range riders, cleaning up cattle carcasses and putting out electrified flags, known as fladery.
Another first for Oregon wolves was the confirmation of parvovirus, a deadly disease common in dogs. Necropsies confirmed it in two pups found dead.
Morgan said the disease could reduce the growth of wolf numbers in the short term but was not likely to be a long-term factor. When the disease first appeared in wolves on Yellowstone National Park, numbers fell, then rebounded.
The state Fish and Wildlife Commission is scheduled to consider the report March 7.
Follow Jeff Barnard at https://twitter.com/JeffBarnardAP


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In This Section
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- NIDA for Teens: Facts on Drugs - Get the real facts about how different drugs affect your brain and body.
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- HEADS UP: Real News About Drugs and Your Body - Articles, games, downloads, videos, and more. Past compilations and posters are also available.
- Marijuana: Facts for Teens - Think marijuana isn't a big deal? Learn all about it and its potentially harmful effects. (En Español)
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OLYMPIA, Wash. -- The group seeking to overturn Washington's gay marriage law has been advising churches to take special collections and forward them to the campaign, which the state's campaign finance watchdog said earlier this week is not allowed under state law.
Preserve Marriage Washington's website includes a "church tools" section, where it asks churches to collect "all envelopes from donors, put them in a larger mailing envelope, put your church name and return address on the mailing envelopes and send it via regular U.S. mail" to the campaign.
Lori Anderson, a spokeswoman for the state Public Disclosure Commission, said Thursday that she wasn't aware of Preserve Washington's notice on its website but would look into it.
She noted that no organization, like a church, can be an intermediary for a contribution. While the church can make a call for a special collection and hand out envelopes to parishioners, either a member of Preserve Washington has to be on hand to collect them, or parishioners must send them in individually, she said.
Anderson said the prohibition on so-called "bundling" stems from Initiative 134, which voters passed in 1992 to regulate political contributions and campaign spending.
Christopher Plante, deputy campaign manager for Preserve Marriage, said he was confident that the campaign's fundraising process was "completely compliant with the PDC's rules."
"The PDC has in no way communicated with the Catholic church, or with Preserve Marriage Washington," he said. "We are confident that our legally reviewed materials comply with all of Washington state's campaign finance requirements."
He noted that the campaign has thousands of volunteers across the state, so it would have no problem collecting the donations if that was what was ultimately required.
Preserve Marriage pushed to get Referendum 74 on the November ballot. It asks voters to either approve or reject the law passed earlier this year that allows same-sex marriage in the state. That law is on hold pending the vote.
Earlier this week, the PDC said it would be reaching out to the Yakima Diocese and the Washington state Catholic Conference after the bishop in Yakima announced last week that there would be a special collection for Preserve Marriage Washington.
Anderson said letters were being sent Thursday to the Yakima Diocese and the Catholic conference, and she expects to speak with Preserve Washington soon as well.
"If someone from the campaign asked me ahead of time, 'Can this happen?' I would have said no," Anderson said. "We think that they're wrong and potentially giving people advice that could get them into trouble."
Zach Silk, a spokesman for Washington United for Marriage, which supports the gay marriage law, said "everyone ought to play by the rules."
"We'll be watching," he said. "We just want them to play fair."
Preserve Marriage Washington has raised about $471,000 so far in its campaign, compared with the nearly $6.1 million raised by Washington United for Marriage.
Washington United for Marriage announced Monday that the group has reserved $5 million for television advertising starting sometime after Labor Day.
-- The Associated Press


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Aiello trial under way Monday
The Main Courtroom at the Elk County Courthouse was near capacity Monday, with members of the public and witnesses arriving for the first day in the jury trial of Daniel Aiello, 27, of St. Marys, charged with over 100 counts of felony burglary in a spree that spanned 13 months and three counties. For his alleged role in the crimes, Daniel Aiello is charged with the following: felony burglary; felony and misdemeanor theft by unlawful taking of moveable property; criminal conspiracy; and criminal mischief with damage to property through reckless, negligence, or intention. In his opening argument Monday, Elk County District Attorney Bradley J. Kraus said the defendant had conspired with his brother, Mark Paul Kimes Aiello, in committing 66 counts of burglary at camps in Elk County, 30 in Cameron, and 15 in McKean County between December 2009 and January 2011. Twenty-four owners of the area camps involved, some residing as far away as Hershey, Harrisburg, and Butler County, were present Monday, subpoenaed to provide their testimony in the trial.Many testified that they discovered their camps had been burglarized via calls from friends, neighbors, or police, and each recounted what they had observed upon arriving at their camps following the incidents. Witnesses described finding entryways pried open or kicked in and the inside of the camps ransacked, with drawers opened and emptied of their contents, furniture upended, and missing items ranging from loose change to antler mounts and taxidermied animals, power tools and a four-wheeler. A number of witnesses recalled their camps being burglarized twice within a matter of weeks. In his testimony, Russ Braun of St. Marys, owner of a camp in Jones Twp., said he had heard about burglaries in the area and went to check on his camp the day after Christmas. When he arrived, he found the door ajar with signs of forced entry, as well as two sets of footprints in a quarter-inch of fresh snow. Braun said his inspection of the interior revealed that a flat-screen television and power tools had been taken from inside the structure. Braun contacted the Emporium-based Pennsylvania State Police and eventually re-secured the structure before leaving. One week later, the day after New Year's Day, Braun's camp was again burglarized. This time, Braun said the entire doorjamb was demolished and the only item taken was a sign reading, "Welcome to the Cabin."In testimony heard Monday, description of the damages varied from severe damage requiring repairs to little or no damage. Additional testimony was received from dozens of camp owners, provided in the form of stipulations stating that the individual owned the camp in question, did not know the defendant, that Aiello did not have permission or reason to enter the camp, and that the camp suffered damage and missing items. Kraus said the the locations of the camps involved were confirmed by Mark Paul Kimes Aiello, who identified each of them to Trooper Matthew Higgins of the Ridgway-based Pa. State Police. According to Kraus, Kimes volunteered to go on a ride-along with Trooper Matthew Higgins of the Ridgway-based Pa. State Police, during which he pointed out the locations where he said he and Daniel Aiello had committed the burglaries. Kraus said that Trooper Matthew Higgins of the Ridgway-based Pa. State Police Barracks had initially received information from Paul Kimes Jr., of Kane, father of Mark Paul Kimes Aiello and stepfather to Daniel Aiello, regarding the possibility of his sons' involvement in the burglaries.Paul Kimes Jr. testified Monday that he was contacted by Higgins in late 2010 or early 2011 with the subject of the conversation being, "Daniel and the robberies taking place." Kimes Jr. then agreed to meet with Higgins on Feb. 14, at which point Kimes Jr. said he told Higgins that Daniel Aiello had admitted to having committed "several robberies" with Mark Paul Kimes Aiello in Benezette and Highland Township."I told him they were dumb and going to get caught eventually," Kimes Jr. said. Testimony from Daniel Aiello's brother, Mark Paul Kimes Aiello will be heard when the trial resumes Tuesday at 9 a.m.Pick up a copy of the Tuesday, July 31, 2012 edition of The Ridgway Record for more.


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Featured News - Current News - Archived News - News Categories
The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation has awarded a three-year grant to Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center to establish and operate Project Runway, a community-based program to reduce drug and alcohol and drug abuse by young women.
The program is based on evidence-based research conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Center on Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. It will employ gender-specific strategies to both heighten awareness and prevent drug and alcohol abuse among young women ages 14-24 who reside in Niagara Falls.
"Project Runway addresses a very significant health issue in our community," said Memorial Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Sheila K. Kee. "In 2011, more than 130 women in this age group were treated in our emergency department for symptoms related to alcohol and substance abuse, overdose, addiction or withdrawal."
Kee noted that there also is a strong connection between substance abuse and high rates of teen pregnancy. That connection is reflected in the city's teen pregnancy rate, which is nearly three times the Niagara County average.
Project Runway recognizes that unisex prevention programs fail to influence young women. The project will not only build community awareness, but train health care professionals to better recognize the symptoms of abuse in young women and employ a specially trained patient navigator to link teenage girls and young women with a full range of educational and care management services.
"Project Runway will reduce substance abuse-related emergency room visits among teenaged and young women by 30 percent and the number referred to Niagara Falls Drug Court by 44 percent over the next three years," Kee said. "We are grateful to the Tower Foundation for its support of this important public health effort."
The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation seeks to support community programming that will result in children, adolescents and young adults affected by substance abuse, learning disabilities, mental illness, and intellectual disabilities achieving their full potential.


text:
Runners on Running is an arrangement of inspirational stories,
humorous accounts, and pivotal moments. It is a best-of collection from
the top writers in the sport. The selections are grouped into seven
themes that encompass the runner's experience: spirit, body, mind,
mentor, race, bonds, and heart.
* Free Bundled E-book *
If you are a member of the HK Rewards Program, when buying a new print edition of this book, you
will be granted the option for downloading the e-book edition at no additional charge. Learn more.
Rich Elliott competed at Kansas University from 1968 to 1972,
qualifying for the NCAA Division I national meets in both track and
cross country. In 1971, he was the Big Eight Conference three-mile
In 1976, Elliott was named Illinois Distance Coach of the Year while
working at Willowbrook High School. He moved to Deerfield High School in
1977 and was an assistant coach with the state cross country
championship team before becoming the program's head coach for both
cross country and track. Elliott coached at the high-school level for 12
years, producing a pair of All-Americans and several all-state athletes.
During this time he also wrote The Competitive Edge: Mental
Preparation for Distance Running, a book that Track and Field News
magazine called "the best work on the subject" and "a modern classic."
Elliott then worked for many years in educational publishing as a
textbook editor and technology producer. He returned to coaching from
2008 to 2010 to head the men's and women's cross country teams at
Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. He is now a freelance
writer and editor.
Elliott lives in Winnetka, Illinois, with his wife and three children.
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Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress (original Japanese title: Kakushi Toride No San Akunin) stars Minoru Chiaki and Kamatari Fujiwara as a pair of misfit soldiers. Running from the enemy after a disastrous defeat, the two soldiers fall in with general Toshiro Mifune, who is in search of a huge cache of gold. Mifune is also desirous of freeing princess-in-exile Misa Uehara from the clutches of the evil victorious army. Several large and small battles ensue before Mifune can realize his goal. If the plot of Hidden Fortress sounds vaguely familiar to you, try this exercise: substitute two robots for Chiaki and Fujiwara, Mark Hamill for Mifune, and Carrie Fisher for Uehara. George Lucas himself admitted that Hidden Fortress was a principal inspiration for his Star Wars saga; stretching the point farther, both Hidden Fortress and Star Wars had their roots in John Ford's The Searchers. Originally released in a 137-minute form, The Hidden Fortress was sliced to ribbons by its American distributors, and years later received extensive restoration.~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Writer: Shinobu Hashimoto and Ryuzo Kikushima
Cast: Toshirô Mifune, Misa Uehara, Minoru Chiaki, Kamatari Fujiwara and Takashi Shimura
Sorry there are no upcoming showtimes for The Hidden Fortress (Kakushi-toride no san-akunin)


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Visitor parking is available and located in three main parking areas.
Admissions/Martinetti Hall
From the Main Entrance, follow the road all the way to the end of the loop where you will encounter a stop sign. From that sign, turn right immediately into the faculty/staff parking lot. Take the left that runs in front of Martinetti Hall. You will see visitor parking spaces to your left, and also in front of the main entrance for Admissions.
Dibden Center for the Arts/Willey Library
From the Main Entrance take the first right, following the signs to Dibden and the Willey Library & Learning Center (LLC). Continue straight, after stopping at the stop sign. You will see visitor parking at the end of the lot and to your right.
Visual Arts Center
From the Main Entrance, take the second right into the Visual Arts Center parking lot. You will find visitor parking at the corner of the lot nearest the athletic fields, towards campus.


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Nanny State: More Politicians Against Pedestrians Listening To Headphones Or Texting
from the why-don't-we-just-ban-moving dept
In California, State Sen. Joe Simitian has reintroduced a bill that would fine cyclists $20 for texting. In Oregon, State Rep. Michael Schaufler wants to fine cyclists $90 for wearing headphones or earbuds. In Virginia, lawmakers are considering whether to broaden such a ban to include any handheld communication device.It's become so ridiculous, that one Arkansas state senator actually wanted to outlaw pedestrians from wearing headphones in both ears while on a street or sidewalk. The ridicule over that proposal, at least, caused the sponsor of the bill to drop it. However, it seems that many politicians are jumping on this kind of nanny state bandwagon, often citing claims that pedestrian accidents increased for the first time in four years in the first half of 2010. Of course, there could be plenty of reasons why that happened that have little to do with headphone usage (after all, it's not like there was a sudden influx of new headphone wearing pedestrians last year). On top of that, though, isn't education a better solution than outright bans?
And in New York, a bill before the legislature's transportation committee would ban the use of electronic devices while crossing streets.
This is the second time State Sen. Carl Kruger has introduced this legislation to stem what he calls "tuning in and tuning out."


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BURLINGTON, N.C. – In a Conference Carolinas Tournament winner's bracket game that was supposed to take place a day prior, the second seeded King University softball team advanced to the semifinals with a 2-0 victory over sixth seed Pfeiffer University. Tornado pitcher Hannah Light tossed her second shutout in as many games in the tournament while Fallon Thomas and Octavia Lewis-Rand delivered the offense for King.
Light didn't allow a hit until the leadoff hitter of the fifth inning reached on an infield single to the shortstop. Pfeiffer's first runner of the game came in the fourth when Sadie Saine worked a walk. Thomas, a senior, led the Tornado offense, ripping a ground-rule double in the first inning. In the third inning, she came up with a bigger blow, a solo home run to left field the glanced of the fielder's glove and over the fence.
King (28-24) threatened in the fourth with a Chrissy Melcher double, but she was stranded there. The Tornado struck again in the fifth when Lewis-Rand crushed a home run to center field, giving King what was a commanding 2-0 lead.
Pfeiffer (18-24-1) threatened with their second hit in the sixth inning, but Light got a pair of flyouts to end the threat. In the seventh inning, Light got stronger, striking out the first two batters before getting a groundout to second base to end the contest.
Light struck out seven in the two hit shutout on 98 pitches. Her counterpart, Sydney Poole only allowed the two runs on seven hits in six innings of work.
Offensively, King was led by Thomas and Lewis-Rand with their sixth and second home runs of the season, respectively. Melcher and Tori McComas each went 2-for-3 in the win.
King will be in action again at 4:00 p.m. when the take on fourth seed University of Mount Olive with a spot in the championship game on the line. Pfeiffer takes on Erskine College at 2:00 p.m. in an elimination game.


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Personal blog of freelance critic Jake Cole, with exclusive content and links to writing around the Web.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
My Year in Pro Wrestling
10 comments:
Bayley-Banks I is a fucking classic. It's the kind of match the main roster wishes they could do. I fear for Bayley when she gets called up as a match with her and Banks will never recapture the magic because Vince is a dumb old fuck that needs to die right now along with his buck-tooth beaver bitch Kevin Dunn.ReplyDelete
Your number one would also be my number one. That Sasha-Bayley Brooklyn match was a great reminder why I'm a wrestling fan. The Ironman match was also amazing (especially Sasha's tormenting of Izzy at ringside), but I agree Brooklyn topped it. Banks is simply one of the best in the world right now and the complete package, but I too dread the day Bayley gets called up. Can only imagine(or fear) what "creative" will do with her. The Divas Revolution was tough to watch.ReplyDelete
Glad you got into it this year.
- AnonymousJanuary 27, 2016 at 9:36 PM
I didn't read the whole thing, but your article almost makes me want to get back into Wrestling. Almost.ReplyDelete
I left it a few years back, 2012-2013 I'd say (The Last match I watched was the Daniel Bryan vs. CM Punk that headlined one of the pay-per-views in 2012 before a triple threat with Punk vs. Kane vs. Bryan). There was a lot of things for me that ultimately led to that decision, I had watched it for nearly 20 years or so (since I was a little boy), I had seen great wrestling come and go. I lived through some great moments (the Austin/Attitude era, Bret Austin WM 13, the Rock/Austin WM 17 *just as good as WM13 btw, the Helmsely regime, the Canadian Chrises, Benoit and Guerrero as Champions, the HBK/Angle classic at WM21 (which I saw live), the trial of Taker with 2 matches with HBK and 2 matches with HHH, the rise of CM Punk, I'd seen so much great stuff, a lot of it edged with terrible stuff. But it was time for me to let it go.
It was a long hard decision but it traced like this that ultimately wore me down:
Guerrero's Death. Benoit's murder suicide. Years and Years of seeing my favorite wrestlers never getting the shot they desired, or getting it and then getting buried back down. HBK's retirement. The end of the HHH/Taker feud at Mania. Finally, the unrelenting Hulk Cena as PG champion.
So many of the my favorites were gone, their stories were done.
And I didn't think I could do it with a next generation. There's a lot ups and downs, when you have wrestlers that you like, sometimes they get pushed, sometimes they get buried, and it's very frustrating to see the faith dissipate from Vince on wrestlers that don't look like the typical WWE wrestler but are excellent.
Also I lost all of the social element (none of my friends watched anymore), I lost the motivation, I wasn't entertained, and there were so many other things that I wanted to do instead. I wanted to read a lot more, write creatively, and watch more films. A job/ other life priorities also dwindles down the amount of free time. And I made a choice that this is the one thing that's got to go, that it wasn't adding value anymore.
I love CM Punk and Daniel Bryan (and Samoa Joe and Kevin Steen/Owens). I watched these guys for years on the indy circuit, I watched a lot of wrestling. I love the storytelling. Sometimes I miss it (and I have a few dvds kept away in a closet, just in case, the HBK dvds, some CM Punk ROH dvds, and a Best of 90's Japan set). But I'm firm, I don't want to go back. It was right for that time in my life, but it's not right for me now.
Cheers, it's a long strange trip. But some of the little moments will all be worth it.
Also if you like wrestling and want to talk about it, I really like this forum below. Mostly an intelligent group. I'm also there as well, but I stay away from the Wrestling section.
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This year was full of important events that influenced your subsequent activities. We can inform the readers about the latest news thanks to the custom paper writing services.ReplyDelete
Wrestling is the silent killer. Showmanship and grit trump quality of life at a far greater percentage than helmet-crashing tackles. Big hits are only part of the equation in football. Devastating injuries, even melodramatic ones, are at the heart of what make wrestling entertaining. They are its pulse — until eventually, inevitably, it stops.ReplyDelete
What is your expectation from an Escorts Agency, can you find any Reputed Islamabad Escorts Service who can deal perfectly with your expectations. You have reached a place where every wish finds itself in the different synopsis as well beyond your expectation. Islamabad is the place where you can find numerous of Agency offering various types of Escorts in Islamabad service but to find what is optimum for you is a hectic task. The main thing you have to choose is the reliability, privacy, accountability and best optimum price.ReplyDelete


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Westport native returns to tell stories, share songs from the Great White Way
Even as the rest of the kids were clamoring to get onstage, Kevin Connors said there would be one who was more often drawn to the music.
"Justin would be the one looking over my shoulder as I played the piano, or at my elbow as I conducted the band," said Connors, the executive artistic director of the Westport-based Music Theatre of Connecticut. Justin Paul, who grew up in Westport, was only 8 when he began with this musical theater performance and training organization.
"He was always a great musical theater actor and performer, as well, though he doesn't get to do that as much now," said Connors, who has watched Paul develop from an aspiring performer into one-half of the award-winning song-writing team Pasek and Paul.
"They really have a different sound than anything else that is out there," Connors said of the duo that also includes Philadelphia native Benj Pasek. "That is the reason they have become so successful.
"They have an ability to write in the style of the piece, and their music really reflects that," said Connors, who has been a musical theater composer and director for about 30 years. "They are not so locked into their own sound, but rather look for what the piece needs."
Last year was a busy one for the rising stars, who earned the Richard Rodgers Award for Musical Theatre from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2011. They gained attention for their work on Broadway's "A Christmas Story, The Musical," which had a record-breaking run at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. The composers also saw their musical "Dogfight" open off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre. NBC's musical drama "Smash" will use several of their songs this year, too.
The two have been writing since they met at a summer orientation prior to their freshman year at the University of Michigan. They arrived at the school as performers, yet both were attracted to music composition and songwriting.
"The intent was that I was going to help him write better piano parts for his songs," said Paul, who was a talented pianist by the time he entered college. "Of course, when we got into the room, we didn't follow that plan. We let our attention spans wander."
What came out of that meeting was the kernel for "Edges -- A Song Cycle."
"We had decided that we would do a concert of our songs," said Paul, who lives in New York City. The two secured performance space and lined up an audience. But, there was just one problem, they did not feel they had enough for a full program.
"It got to the point that we were about to cancel, but then we decided to power through," Paul added. "We did this concert for one evening, that was it. But, from there it became a much bigger thing."
When the then-sophomores' material hit the Internet, it quickly grew, spawning a large online audience. The song "Be My Friend (The Facebook Song)" became a viral hit all on its own.
This coming-of-age musical journey has been produced worldwide since its professional premiere in Albany, N.Y., in 2007, the same year Pasek and Paul graduated college.
As a duo, Paul tends to the music, while Pasek works on the lyrics. Paul has worked with others too, including a 2011 project with his former Staples Players director and theater arts teacher David Roth and associate director Kerry Long.
Paul said the fact that he and Pasek also are performers has informed the songs they create.
"When we were starting out ... we would ask ourselves things like how would you want to perform this, what words would help me to act this out better."
Pasek and Paul concentrate on the theater, but they leave themselves plenty of latitude, Paul said. These days, multiple musical styles inspire and are reflected in musical theater.
Paul and Pasek's success as songmakers makes it difficult for them to do much performing. However, the two will be doing just that at Wilton's St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, along with Broadway singer and actor Carrie Manolakos, on Sunday, April 7. They plan to perform their songs from Broadway and television. Rodney Ayers, the church's music director, has been following their careers since he saw "Edges" in 2008 in Westport at MTC Main Stage.
"I'm so excited to see they have gone on to enjoy such great success," he said.
firstname.lastname@example.com; 203-964-2241; twitter.com/xtinahennessy
St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 36 New Canaan Road, Wilton. Sunday, April 7, 4 p.m. $40 patron, $20 regular, $10 student. Tickets at www.stmatthewswilton.org, or at the door (cash only).


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Lips of Suna is an online dungeon crawl with an action RPG-like gameplay. The world is on the verge of demise as the great World Tree withers all of the sudden and chaos begins consuming everything. The five races of the world set on where the tree stood and discover vast dungeons full of horrors. Without a second choice left, they descend into the dungeons and begin the nearly hopeless battle for survival.
Lips of Suna
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Dentist? Get Listed on this website for FREE. Email email@example.com
Cosmetic Dentistry FAQ
Cosmetic Dentistry FAQ
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- Category: Cosmetic Dentistry
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- Patients Considering Porcelain Veneers
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I'm not happy with the size and shape of my teeth, but I'm not interested in dental veneers is there any other option available?
A. Yes. Patients who don't like the size, shape, contours of their teeth and don't want veneers can opt for composite bonding. Unlike veneers, composite bonding does not involve the possibility of sacrificing tooth structure. Composite bonding is a more conservative approach which uses a tooth colored resin to improve the overall esthetic appearance of teeth and because the procedure is less extensive, it is also considerably less costly. Consult name to see if composite bonding is right for you.


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Closing in on shutdown and debt limit deal, Senate leaders optimistic
Tue, 15 Oct 2013 01:34:41 GMT —
The Senate's Democratic and Republican leaders appear to be closing in on a deal to avoid an economy-rattling Treasury default and end the two-week partial government shutdown.
After an intense day of negotiations with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and other lawmakers, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid declared: "We've made tremendous progress," adding "Perhaps tomorrow will be a bright day."
McConnell also voiced optimism, although not as much as Reid.
Officials says in the discussion to date, the $16.7 trillion federal debt limit would be raised enough to permit the Treasury to borrow normally until mid-February, if not a few weeks longer. The government would reopen with enough money to operate until mid-January at levels set previously, and agencies would be given flexibility in adjusting to reduced funding levels imposed by across-the-board spending cuts.
However, the officials caution the details could change, and there's even more uncertainty about other elements of a possible deal.


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Challenger McQuillan takes on incumbent Burns
Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns and opponent Bob McQuillan seem to want the same things for Geneva: Economic growth, tax relief for property owners and a thriving downtown.
"Bob and I have a lot in common," Burns said during a recent Daily Herald endorsement interview.
Burns, 48, is seeking his fourth term in the office. If McQuillan, 56, wins, it would be his first elected public office. He ran unsuccessfully for the school board in 2005, and for the Republican nomination for the 50th District state house seat in 2009.
McQuillan has spent the last decade following the Geneva school board. Geneva TaxFACTS, the group he co-founded, keeps a close eye on the school district, particularly its spending. So why not try again for the school board?
"We've had some major changes, just in the last year (with the school board.) I knew there were going to be a couple of great candidates running," McQuillan said. And he felt he could be perceived as the "old voice."
With Burns unopposed, McQuillan thought the time was right to try for the top job at city hall.
"I always like to have a choice when I go in to the voting booth," he said.
McQuillan said he has a three-point platform.
The first is accessibility to the mayor. McQuillan said he will have set office hours at city hall where people can come visit him, including some evenings and Saturday mornings.
Secondly, he wants to focus on economic development and improving the downtown, including consulting store owners about what they think is needed. He suggested Geneva, St. Charles and Batavia have a joint campaign to attract visitors to the Tri-Cities to get more bang for the dollars spent.
Third is fiscal responsibility. "That's been managed pretty well," he said.
One area he wants to explore for savings is sharing workers, where applicable, between the city, library and park districts.
Burns wants job
Burns ran last year for the Republican nomination for Kane County Board chairman, and briefly entered the 2007 primary for the 14th Congressional District seat.
Burns said being mayor it is the most enjoyable job he has ever held, and that the position has the biggest impact on people because a mayor hires and fires city workers and presides over a city council that makes decisions about things that affect everyday life.
"I've done a doggone good job," he said.
The things that make him the best candidate he said, are his faith and trust in the residents, aldermen, businessmen and city workers, including their abilities; and his ability to accept criticism, acknowledge failure, repent and "move on."
Improving Geneva
Asked for one good idea to better the community, the candidates disagreed over the way city officials make plans.
Geneva has a strategic plan the council revises every year, and last year it had workshops to develop the Downtown/Station Area Master Plan. Burns said he did not see McQuillan at those; McQuillan said he attended a few, but determined they were a waste of his time.
Consultants developing the plan encouraged people to talk about "pie-in-the-sky ideas," McQuillan said. "It's great if you have the funds, but planners need to direct participants by saying, 'Can we afford this?' "
Burns liked the brainstorming.
"Who would have thought we would secure Geneva Commons or the Dodson Place development," Burns said. It was "pie-in-the-sky thinking." Without brainstorming, the city wouldn't have the Prairie Green preserve, or RiverPark, he said.
"If his (McQuillan's) fiat is, 'There will be no global thinking,' we're in trouble," Burns said. To which McQuillan retorted, "Great way to change people's words and their thinking, Kevin. You're known for that."


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Walkabout 2013: Jumpers, Thieves, Cops & Spies
Janus Theatre Company
Friday, August 2, 2013 at 11:00 AM - Sunday, August 4, 2013 at 2:00 PM (CDT)
Event Details
The Janus Theater Company presents the sixth Walkabout: Theater on your Feet in downtown Elgin, running Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 2, 3, and 4.
This year, select plays will be featured, along with additional evening performances. Tour guides will lead groups of people to downtown locations where they will see the plays performed. The event is sponsored by the Janus Theater Company along with Elgin Public House, Side Studio Arts, Al's Café and Chooch's Pizza partnering on the project. The event will run in conjunction with the City of Elgin's Art & Soul festival in downtown Elgin.
What's New this year?
"It's the year of James Bond, copes and spies," said Walkabout creator and Janus Theater Artistic Director Sean Hargadon. "All the plays bring a touch of fun to genres featuring double-agents, good cop and bad cop and art thieves."
This year's Walkabout will feature two new locations: Chooch's Pizzeria and Side Street Studio Arts. "Both locations recently opened in downtown Elgin and are quickly becoming part of Elgin's cultural and dining landscape," said Hargadon. "These locations will be adapted to enhance the plays. Actors will perform in spaces designed to look like an interrogation room, art gallery, building ledge and café," added Hargadon. Another innovation from last year will be adding evening performances on Friday and Saturday night.
Who's participating?
The Janus Theater Company will perform all of the plays at the various spaces throughout downtown Elgin this year. "Each piece is different but they are all comedies," said Hargadon. "After exploring the dark side of Poe last year, we decided to lighten things up a bit."
What's coming back this year?
Elgin Public House will be Walkabout Headquarters and act as the starting spot for all tours. Al's Café will be the final destination of Walkabout this year, where they will once again provide complimentary malts, which is something they've been doing since Walkabout began. There will also be a very limited amount of free Walkabout t-shirts available to people who attend the event. Free water will be available as well.
When & Where
Elgin Public House
219 E Chicago St
Friday, August 2, 2013 at 11:00 AM - Sunday, August 4, 2013 at 2:00 PM (CDT)
Add to my calendar
Janus Theatre Company
The Janus Theatre Company is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1998 that creates initimate theatrical experiences that bring audiences and actors together. The company has produced work in Elgin, Chicago, its suburbs, and London and New York. Whether in cafes, storefronts, parks, greenhouses, brewpubs, or actual theater spaces, the company has produced closed to 70 productions since its beginnings, winning numerous awards along the way. Visit www.janusplays.com for more information.


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Who is Ghoul Friday?
I'm a Canadian artist living in Toronto, Ontario. When I'm not transforming my house into a ghoulish scene at Halloween, I'm creating mini-monsters for local shows in the city (and occasionally, for sale online).
But that's jumping to the end of the story. Here's the beginning...
It started when my mother let me spray paint a tombstone on the concrete wall of our basement for my Grade 4 Halloween party.
It was my first real Halloween party, and I wanted it to be great. I constructed a haunted house the length of the basement and lead people through dangling, slimy snakes hanging from the ceiling - just one example of the many forms and obstacles waiting for them in the shadow. I hadn't gotten over my fear of the dark, and I was deathly afraid of being in the basement alone (never mind with the lights off), but to make sure I could see well enough to safely guide each guest one by one through the haunted space, I sat alone in the pitch black basement for 20 minutes before the party goers even started to arrive.
That's when she was born, the little ghoul in the basement. Since then, she has come back to me every year, usually in late summer, ready to build creatures for Halloween. Sure, she's there throughout the other months, peeking through my eyes at the newest horror film being released, or tickling my neck so I turn to see the brochure for the Festival of Fear coming to the city.
But it's in August when she whispers "Is it time to sit in the dark?"
Yes Friday. It's time. What friends shall we create this year?
Just wanted to say hi
that's a nice story you have there.
have fun...
-lancekik from halloweenforum
"That's when she was born,
"That's when she was born, the little ghoul in the basement. Since then, she has come back to me every year, usually in late summer,"
goosebumps and spinal type chills ;)
I love this stuff!!!
Just checking your site GF.
Just checking your site GF. Love your site, love talking to you, love your work !
See you !
nice to meet you. your
nice to meet you. your website is really cool. as are you! great story too. love your art pics and the pic you use for your profile! i added your button to my blogger btw.
~take care, eve
Thank you :)
Just wanted to thank you for dropping by my blog and leaving such kind comments... and you are very welcome for the "shout out", thank YOU for having some of my favorite and most inspiring pages on the web! :)
Canadian Support
Thanks for dropping in. It's always good to see a fellow creepy ghoul around the net. Feel free to stop by again anytime.
Creeping Screams!
Neat Stuff
Cool site.
Too eerie....... You rock!!!
Sweet story! I too had a Halloween party when I was younger in my grandparents basement. My uncle got a bunch of dry ice to make fog on the floor--it was so cool, but slippery-whoopsie!
You are such a sweet person! And may I add: I LOVE Edmond's Carousel!!!!!!! Take care and talk to you again soon!
I love your website! I can't
I love your website! I can't wait to get home from work and see what you're up to. The polymer clay pumpkins you made are sweet. Could you explaine how you made them ? I would like to make some myself. How to make Dinko Skull with polymer clay is a great sight. Check it out! Keep up the great work.
Post new comment


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Functional coat
Added Dec 6, 2013
by Yuki M
Amsterdam, Nethe...
Very functional winter coat I need for cold and snowy (+ stormy this year!) winter in the Netherlands.
It's very warm with heavy wool and quilting lining, and has functional details like big pockets, zipper open and high neck line. The pattern is self drafted.
Blogging here >>>
Material Notes
Mixed wool (wool and acrylic) // quilted lining // fake fur
- Season
- Winter
- For
- Women
- Garment Type
- Coat/Capes
- Style
- Casual
- Material
- Wool
12 Comments Sign in to add a post
Dec 9, 2013, 01.24 PMby kisses
Great coat and the lovely fabric
Dec 9, 2013, 01.11 PMby vivie95
What a great coat!
Dec 9, 2013, 12.19 AMby Yuki M
Thanks everyone for kind words! I really enjoy wearing this!
Dec 8, 2013, 07.31 PMby Bbtiny
I just love this coat and I can't believe you yourself have drafted this! Compliment! It's more than great and the fabric you choose is really lovely.
Dec 8, 2013, 02.31 PMby Mary Athey
This is a lovely coat and it looks great on you x
Dec 7, 2013, 08.46 PMby zora
Love the fabric! It's a fabulous coat.
Dec 7, 2013, 05.11 PMby grimfrosties
This is awesome! I've got my fingers crossed that the pattern shows up in your Etsy shop some day :)
Dec 7, 2013, 01.49 PMby pamchar
I love your coat! The color is pretty and it seems so comfy and warm. Great design! Well done!
Dec 7, 2013, 11.34 AMby sarahsdaughter
Your coat is lovely and looks so warm.
Dec 7, 2013, 07.51 AMby caireen
Oh wow! This is awesome! Very cool coat.
Dec 7, 2013, 05.09 AMby smallone
oh my exquisite coat!!
Dec 7, 2013, 12.17 AMby khatsu
Thanks for posting! Glad to see your patterns on Etsy. That duffle variation is really cute!
Add to Favorites 17 people added it


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Description of Course:
The nature of this course is to integrate technical ability with visual communication as they relate to digital art and design. Computer images are prepared for multiple delivery environments, including internet, mobile devices, games, and animation. Students will apply the techniques of digital imaging using tools in creative applications, in concert with foundational knowledge of the elements and principles of design. Students will be encouraged to use divergent thinking in problem solving as a way to address emerging media.
This is a lower-level required course for students pursuing an A&H undergraduate degree in the Arts & Technology, and Emerging Media and Communications Program. The course is a full 16-week session, meeting once a week for 2:45 hours per week in a computer lab environment. Additional time outside of class is required to complete assignments. Course delivery is blended online, lecture and lab environment. Students will need a NetID and access to the internet for eLearning content.
Required Texts:
Books for the course will be assigned the first day of class. There is no standard textbook for the curriculum.
Course Requirements/Evaluation Criteria:
Students should have moderate computer navigation skills plus basic knowledge of online social etiquette and work ethic. Complete the assignments and turn them in on time - no deadline extensions. Activities require regular access to a computer with internet capability and Adobe Photoshop Extended CS5 installed. Students will need a NetID to access lab computers and eLearning, plus a UTD ID number to access additional instructional materials through UTD Library.
© The University of
Texas at Dallas School of Arts and Humanities.
No part of this
website can be copied or reproduced without permisssion.


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Headquartered on Johnson Square in the heart of Savannah, Ga., The Coastal Bank has served The Peach State for 56 years. With over $430 million in assets, this community bank, which is locally owned and operated, provides a range of financial services, specializing in small business and consumer banking, mortgage solutions and lending services.
Six branches are spread throughout the greater Savannah area, into Rincon and Hinesville, as well as an operations center in Pooler, Ga.
Like any other financial institution, one potential issue The Coastal Bank faced was cybercrime and fraudulent attacks on its customers and the bank, which, if successful, could result in personal information and money being stolen. It was also looking to find a way to adhere to a new set of guidelines from the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) that must be implemented by Jan. 2012. The supplement to the FFIEC "Authentication in an Internet Banking Environment" guidance, first issued in Oct. 2005, puts in place requirements for customer authentication, layered security and other controls in the online environment.
"It was important to The Coastal Bank to not only find a way to successfully meet the FFIEC requirements, but to also implement a program that was easy to use," says Adam Montgomery (left), director of marketing at The Coastal Bank.
He says the executives at the bank realized they needed to be proactive and get in front of the threat to protect customers from ever-changing malware and keep their money and personal information safe.
The bank's IT staff, consisting of four people, began a search for a solution.
"Our director of IT initially reviewed most of the current software solutions implemented by other financial institutions and found them to be insufficient, cumbersome and, most important, already proven compromised," says Montgomery.
The bank's director of IT, director of operations, and director of marketing and products made the initial decision to implement the IronKey Trusted Access product. An extended team that included the chief banking officer, chief financial officer and the director of retail services were included for final analysis and sign off.
"After a complete review and analysis of the IronKey Trusted Access product, we felt it was the only solution that could meet and exceed the FFIEC requirements," says Montgomery. The bank staff spent close to six months testing and reviewing the product, as well as conducting focus groups to determine what would best fit its customers' online security needs.
Unlike competing approaches, IronKey Trusted Access delivers a safe, separate and dedicated secure web browser only for online banking (or sites approved by a bank), says Kevin Bocek, vice president of marketing at IronKey. ZeuS, SpyEye, OddJob and other trojans prey on users accessing sites on their computers. Instead of relying on an infected browser or potentially tampered network connection, Trusted Access provides an application that users know is just for financial transactions. And, because Trusted Access is a dedicated app, it does not hog resources by looking to detect each new attack or monitor user's behavior and website access everywhere they go, says Bocek.
Trusted Access for Banking does not rely on potentially compromised and vulnerable applications on the user's host computer, Montgomery adds. Instead, a secure, encrypted connection to online banking is made through the IronKey Trusted Network. "It allows us to provide a level of security previously only available to the U.S. government and military," he says. "It provides our clients with an unprecedented level of security when performing financial transactions."
The Trusted Access Secure Browser is as easy to use as any other web browser, says Bocek. However, unlike a standard browser, users are kept safe from keylogging, transaction tampering, website redirection and other attacks used today to steal money, he says.
Today, there are almost as many unique virus signatures as there are online banking users in the United States, Bocek says. Current detection rates for common trojans designed to steal money, like SpyEye, are only 25 percent. "That means 75 percent of attacks go undetected by today's most popular anti-malware solutions. It's a losing game trying to detect and block each new attack." Instead, Trusted Access focuses on protecting users in a safe environment from known and unknown attacks.
Being the only bank with the product in the markets it serves has created a tremendous market advantage, he says, and has allowed the institution to attract new customers and bring customers over from other banks. "Customers want to bank where their money is the most secure," Montgomery says.


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The Geezer Threat
In 1900 Americans on average lived for only 49 years and most working people died still on the job. For those who lived long enough, the average "retirement" age was 85. By 1935, when Social Security was enacted, life expectancy had risen to 61 years. Now it is 77 years–nearly a generation more–and still rising. Children born today have a fifty-fifty chance of living to 100. This inheritance from the last century–the great gift of longer life–surely represents one of the country's most meaningful accomplishments.
Yet the achievement has been transformed into a monumental problem by contemporary politics and narrow-minded accounting. "The nation faces a severe economic threat from the aging of its population combined with escalating health costs," a Washington Post editorial warned. Others put it more harshly. "Greedy geezers" are robbing from the young, bankrupting the government. Painful solutions must be taken to avoid financial ruin. Or so we are told.
A much happier conviction is expressed by Robert Fogel, a Nobel Prize-winning economist at the University of Chicago and a septuagenarian himself. America, he reminds us, is a very wealthy nation. The expanding longevity is not a financial burden but an enormous and underdeveloped asset. If US per capita income continues to grow at a rate of 1.5 percent a year, the country will have plenty of money to finance comfortable retirements and high-quality healthcare for all citizens, including those at the bottom of the wage ladder. When politicians talk about raising the Social Security retirement age to 70 in order to "save" the system, they are headed backward and against the tide of human aspirations. The average retirement age, Fogel observes, has been falling in recent decades by personal choice and is now around 63. Given proper financing arrangements, he expects the retirement age will eventually fall to as low as 55–allowing everyone to enjoy more leisure years and to explore the many dimensions of "spiritual development" or "self-realization," as John Dewey called it.
"What then is the virtue of increasing spending on retirement and health rather than goods?" Fogel asked in his latest book, The Fourth Great Awakening and the Future of Egalitarianism (2000). "It is the virtue of providing consumers in rich countries with what they want most." What people want is time–more time to enjoy life and learning, to focus on the virtuous aspects of one's nature, to pursue social projects free of economic necessity, to engage their curiosity and self-knowledge or their political values. The great inequity in modern life, as Fogel provocatively puts it, is the "maldistribution of spiritual resources," that is, the economic insecurity that prevents people from exploring life's larger questions. Everyone could attain a fair share of liberating security, he asserts, if government undertook strategic interventions in their behalf.


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Between the June USDA World Agricultural Demand and Supply Estimates (WASDE) report and early August, U.S. corn production estimates declined from 14.8 billion bushels to about 11.5 billion bushels. The August WASDE will be released on August 10. Between June 12 and August 2, U.S. wheat production estimates have changed very little.
Ending stocks estimates for U.S. corn have declined from 1.88 billion bushels in the June WASDE to 1.18 billion bushels in the July WASDE. Current ending stocks estimates are around 800 million bushels. United States wheat ending stocks estimates have declined from 694 million bushels to 664 million bushels.
World corn ending stocks estimates mostly reflect changes in U.S. corn production and ending stocks expectations. World wheat ending stocks estimates have declined from 6.83 billion bushels to 6.70 billion bushel and reflect lower production expectations for Russia, Europe, and Australia.
World and U.S. corn stocks are tight, and corn prices must stay relatively high to ration corn supplies. Wheat stocks are slightly below average in the U.S. and slightly above average in the world. The market just has to keep milling quality wheat out of the feed (corn) market.
The result of tighter corn stocks was the Chicago Board of Trade December corn contract price increasing from $5.06 after the June WASDE was released to a peak of $8.20 on July 31. At this writing, The CBT December corn contract price is $7.94, a $3.14 price increase and a $0.26 price decline.
You can check current commodity prices now.
Tighter corn stocks and relatively little change in wheat stocks resulted in the Kansas City Board of Trade December wheat contract prices increasing from $6.67 after the June WASDE report to a peak price of $9.57 on July 19. At this writing, the KCBT Dec contract price is $8.95, a $2.90 price increase and a $0.63 price decline.
Corn prices increased more than wheat prices, and wheat prices have declined more than corn prices. Corn prices led wheat prices higher and wheat prices have led corn prices lower.
Is price rally complete?
Technical signals may indicate that the price rally is complete. At the least, the price uptrend has stopped to give market analysts the opportunity to reevaluate the market situation.
The market has a tendency to overreact to significant changes in supply and demand situations. Possibly, the market has driven corn prices and thus wheat prices too high. As the corn harvest increases in intensity, the yield and production information will either support current prices or prices will decline.
If corn prices go higher, wheat prices will follow kicking and screaming. For wheat prices to increase without corn's lead, world wheat production estimates must be lowered.
Western Australia is experiencing dry wheat growing conditions. Lower production in Russia and the Ukraine may result is limited exports from these countries.
Wheat stocks are adequate, but any decline in available wheat should result in higher wheat prices.
The KCBT September wheat contract price has support at $8.56 and then about $8. If the September contract price trades below $8.56 for two days, the target price will be $8. Price resistance exists at about $9.42. To continue the uptrend, the September contract price must close above $9.42. Closes above $9.42 imply a target price of $10.
The wheat marketing-year price trend tends to be set in late August and early September.
In August, some producers make wheat sales decisions based on their ability to sleep. If they can't sleep because they are worrying about lower prices, they sell some wheat. If they can't sleep because they are worried about higher prices, they don't sell wheat.
August is the month to sit back and – well, August may be the month just to not listen to market news.